US asks Pakistan to take 'decisive' action against terror proxies

The US has told the new government in Pakistan that it wants to see "decisive and sustained" steps by Islamabad against terror proxies, which will also define the "quality" of bilateral ties.

"The US would like to be able to work with Pakistan to establish stability and a political settlement in Afghanistan... the quality of our bilateral (ties) would obviously be a function of whether we see Pakistan take steps to halt courts for terror proxies that operate on its soil," US official Alic Wells quoted secretary of state Mike Pompeo as having told the Imran Khan government.Pompeo, she said, had commented that "he appreciated the constructive conversation that he had in Islamabad but emphasised on action that should be beyond rhetoric and that are understandable and measurable by the US and all of the other forty countries that are part of the coalition."

Pompeo, she said, had commented that "he appreciated the constructive conversation that he had in Islamabad but emphasised on action that should be beyond rhetoric and that are understandable and measurable by the US and all of the other forty countries that are part of the coalition".

In a first on-record briefing to journalists from Washington after last week's 2+2 dialogue in India, Wells clarified that there was no "blanket or country-specific" waiver of the CAATSA (Counting America's Adversaries Through Sanctions) legislation that would impose sanctions on countries that completed "significant" weapons purchases from Russia. India has declared that it will buy the S-400 antimissile system from Russia, which could attract US sanctions.

Wells said during the 2+2, the US conveyed "its understanding of the legacy of India-Russia relations". However, she confirmed there was a conversation on the kind of equipment that would attract sanctions.

Officials here said they believed Russian legacy platforms would not attract sanctions, but new buys would. The S-400 falls in the latter category.

The US has been fairly clear that come November 4, the demand for "zero oil imports" from Iran would be enforced. But questioned on whether the sanctions would apply to India's investment in Chabahar port, Wells said the US side was apprised of India's rationale for the port - access to Afghanistan and for trade with Central Asia. The US, she said, had not yet taken a decision on the sanctions.

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